Mustang Pride Fort Morgan High School 709 East Riverview Avenue Fort Morgan, Colorado 80701 970-867-5648 www.morgan.k12.co.us/fmhs/fmhs.htm Judy Florian, Principal EARLY SPRING 2013 LINDA CRNIC INSTITUTE AWARDS 1ST PLACE IN ESSAY CONTEST TO FMHS STUDENTS! Two FMHS students, Zulema Marrufo and Nancy Salinas, participated in the 2nd Annual Crnic Institute World Down Syndrome Day Essay Contest. Zulema entered the contest in collaboration and with the help of her friend, Nancy. The PowerPoint they submitted won 1st Place in one of the Essay Categories! As 1st Place Winners they were awarded a $1,500.00 grant for classroom use. They will also be recognized as Essay Contest Winners at the World Down Syndrome Day Celebration at Children’s Hospital in Denver on March 21, 2013. Way to go girls! GO MUSTANGS! Zulema Marrufo Nancy Salinas The Pennies for Patients Foundation raises money for children with Leukemia and Lymphoma. Fort Morgan High School took on the challenge of making cancer disappear! The word “CANCER” was displayed in the FMHS Commons for an entire week as our students and staff collected pennies and dollars. For each $100 we raised, a letter from the word “CANCER” was taken down! As a school, FMHS raised over $1400!!! We want to thank everyone who made this fundraising drive a HUGE success! The winning classes were: 1 – Mr. Paul Gerk’s 4th period $200.90 2 – Main Office $132.21 3 – Mr. Stuart Johnson $125.45 4 – Mr. Mark Hartwig $116.17 5 – Mr. Mike Gross $98.56 Mr. Gerk’s classes are having a pizza party to celebrate their success. The students and/or adults in the other classes are receiving candy bars. AFTER PROM 2013 will be April 20th from 11:00 P.M. to 3:00 A.M. The ultimate goal of this event is to provide a safe and fun environment for our young people on this very special night. “ALL” FMHS students in ALL grades and their respective dates are invited to enjoy a Live DJ, several exciting inflatables, Black Jack/Poker tables, Old Time Photo Booth, amazing food, and awesome door prizes. Juniors/Seniors can attend for free while all other students and guests pay a $10 admission fee. Students also need to bring their Student ID to enter the drawing for door prizes. FMHS parents are asked to help with food and drinks for the event. If you can donate a food item please contact Andra or Doug Godin at agodin@q.com. The After Prom Committee hopes everyone can come for an amazing night of FUN! Questions? Please call Annette at 542-3136 or annette.lebsock@morgancc.edu . FORT MORGAN STUDENT ENTREPRENUERS OPEN SCHOOL STORE Mustang Avenue Apparel and Merchandise Store opened at Fort Morgan High School Students of Ms. Jackie Bauman’s 6th Period Entrepreneurship Class are enjoying the opening of the first official Fort Morgan High School store, Mustang Avenue. Mustang Avenue is a student created, apparel and merchandise retailer located within FMHS. The store sells items two days of the school week before and after school, as well as at most home sporting events. Mustang Avenue sells many items including cups, wristbands, decals, lanyards, sunglasses, hoodies, hats, tshirts, sack packs, and more. All items are student designed and unique; proceeds go towards Fort Morgan’s FBLA. Purchasing items from the student-run store is a great opportunity to support both your local sports teams and events here at FMHS as well as the efforts of the student body and school’s FBLA club. For more information regarding Mustang Avenue, please visit our website at https://sites.google.com/site/fmhsmustangavenue/, follow us on twitter @MustangAve, or like us on Facebook. Two FMHS Students win at MCC District III Automotive Service Technology Skills Contest! Our own Fort Morgan High School students did very well at the MCC District III Automotive Service Technology Skills Contest this year! Nick Smith won 1st Place in the High School Level Division, Cole Mount won 3rd Place at the High School Level Division. Nick Smith Cole Mount FMHS MUSIC STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN COMBINED LEAGUE HONOR BAND… Three Fort Morgan High School students were selected by an audition process to participate in this year’s Combined League High School Honor Band. The Honor Band was held Monday, February 11, 2013 at the Union Colony Civic Center in Greeley. Students spent the entire day rehearsing with guest conductor Dr. David Kish and performed Monday evening with the Combined League Middle School Honor Band in the incredible UCCC Concert Hall. Kennedy Malone – clarinet, Dallas Normile and Kasey Weingarten – flute, participated in a band consisting of about 110 students selected from almost 300 auditions from schools throughout Northeastern Colorado. Fort Morgan High School Knowledge Bowl placed 2nd at Windsor in the Megamind League (a very competitive league in northern Colorado)! Our major competition in the Colorado 7 League was with Fossil Ridge High School and Windsor High School, in which Fossil Ridge won at State last year, and Windsor placed 1st last year in 4A. We destroyed Windsor, and we were always very close to Fossil Ridge in total points. Our own Ben Creighton was the MVP for that league! WAY TO GO MUSTANGS! FMHS BAND ROCKS! Five students from Fort Morgan High School participated in the 5th Annual Colorado State University-Pueblo Festival of Winds. Dallas Normile – Flute, Kennedy Malone – Clarinet, Sarah Kroesche – Alto Sax, Michael McClary and Austin Weber – Percussion. This year’s enrollment represented over 300 students from 42 high schools. The 2½ day event started Thursday afternoon and featured director recommended High School Honor Bands, special guest performances – including the USAF Academy Concert Band, master classes, and much more. While the two Symphonic Bands are open to all participants, the Wind Orchestra is reserved for those students who place highest in the audition process. Kennedy Malone and Michael McClary earned spots in the Wind Orchestra. Kennedy Malone was selected to participate in Colorado State University’s Honor Band Feb. 21-23 on Bass Clarinet. CSU’s Annual High School Honor Band Festival brings together Colorado’s finest high school musicians, selected from hundreds of applicants throughout the state; the three day festival takes place at the University Center for the Arts at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. Thirteen Fort Morgan High School music students participated in the 49th Annual Holyoke Honor Band Festival on January 21, 2013. The students joined musicians from seven schools from the Northeast Colorado area for rehearsals and a concert under the direction of Peter Toews from Mountain View High School in Loveland Colorado. Students performed: Fanfare for the Third Planet by Richard L. Saucedo Canto by W. Francis McBeth Nessun Dorma by Giacomo Puccini Arr. by Johnnie Vinson March of the Buccaneers by Victor Flowers Fort Morgan FBLA in Sterling by Jacki Bauman The Fort Morgan High School Future Business Leaders of America attended the District Leadership Conference in Sterling, February 6, 2013. These outstanding FMHS students competed in many team, individual, live, and project events. All of these state qualifiers and state projects will be heading to Vail April 21st – 23rd to compete at the State Leadership Conference. If they place in the top two at State members will then have the opportunity to represent Colorado at the National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California this summer. Here are the results: State Qualifers  Josef Gertner ‐ 1st business calculations  Jacob Gerken ‐ 1st business law  Joey Smits ‐ 2nd business math  Cindy Herrera ‐ 1st healthcare administration  Conner Shaver ‐ 1st intro to technology concepts  Matthew Hofman ‐ 3rd personal finance  Wes Anderson ‐ 2nd personal finance  Jennifer Xian ‐ 1st personal finance  Kaleb Bell ‐ 2nd sports management  Josef Gertner ‐ 3rd sports management  Nate Alexander ‐ 1st computer applications  Danielle gross/Chris Valdez ‐ 1st business ethics  Drew Gerken/Andrew Schoemaker/Nate Gertner ‐ 2nd business ethics  Hope Jordan ‐ 1st business plans  Forest Hough/Justin wood/Cody Davis ‐ 2nd marketing  Dylan Gray/ Wes Anderson/Toby McBride ‐ 1st global business  Shania Fernandez/Kassandra Mihalovic ‐ 2nd marketing  Kelsey Whipple/Haiden Araujo/ Powers Weilnau ‐ 1st web site design Top Ten  Esmi Rodriguez – Business Calculations – 8th  Chris Valdez – Business Law – 8th  Sara Azimi – Business Procedures – 7th – bumped up to state placing  Adrienne Bohlen – Healthcare and Administration – 8th  Megan Frick ‐ Healthcare and Administration – 10th  Samantha Pettyjohn ‐ Healthcare and Administration – 6th  Garrett Reagan – Sports Management – 9th  Andrew Schoemaker – Sports Management – 10th  Cindy Herrera – Impromptu Speaking – 4th  Kaleb Bell – Impromptu Speaking – 3rd  Esmi Rodriguez – Job Interview – 3rd Along with those who qualified we have the following groups going in State only project competitions:  Kaelin Kuretich/Abbey Tolson – Community Service  Lia Shaver/Ashley Lauck – Community Service  Justin Paxton/James Martens/Mikayla Hopkins – Local Chapter Annual Business Report  Maddy Linton/Melissa Tolson – American Enterprise  Jacob Gerken/Kennidi Cobbley – Peak 5 Award (Chapter Recognition Award) They are working on a National Chapter Recognition that will send them to Nationals this summer o Back Row: Jacob Gerken, Justin Wood, Drew Gerken, Toby McBride, David Cox, Wes Anderson, Derek Bain, Nate Alexander, Chris Valdez, Powers Weilnau, Haiden Araujo o 2nd Row: Dylan Gray, Hope McConkey, Cody Davis, Maddy Linton, Ashley Lauck, Abbey Tolson, Melissa Tolson, Lia Shaver, Kennidi Cobbley, Justin Paxton, Conner Shaver, Andrew Schoemaker, & Nate Gertner o 1st Row: Dustin Feather, Forrest Hough, Kelsey Whipple, Kassandra Mihalovic, Shania Fernandez, Cindy Herrera, Danielle Gross, Esmi Rodriguez, and Kaleb Bell STUDENTS OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND MARCH RENAISSANCE STUDENTS OF THE MONTH JAMES MARTENS BRAEDON GODIN JEN XIAN JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH ROTARY CLUB STUDENTS OF THE MONTH BEN CREIGHTON CHAD CLIFTON ALEXIS BILLS JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH LIONS CLUB STUDENTS OF THE MONTH NATALIE PEREZ JOSEPH MUEGGENBERG KAELIN KURETICH JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH The Principal’s Corner…… Educational Reform! What does Educational Reform mean? You hear these words tossed around and loosely tied to many different definitions and interpretations. Wikipedia states that Educational Reform is the name given to a political process with the goal of improving public education. Educational Reform is not new, as there have been a plethora of initiatives in the history of education in the United States. Many research studies have been catalysts for such initiatives, i.e. Schools at Risk (1983), Outcomes Based Education (1990), National Education Goals (2000), No Child Left Behind (NCLB), SB 191 (Principal and Teacher Evaluations linked to Accountability) and legislation continues to drive the quest for improving education, aligning content standards with assessments and instruction with a system of accountability that is universal. Everyone wants the same thing: a well rounded education for all students who have equal access to rigorous content that is relevant and ensures master of knowledge and skills needed in the world of work, in real life, and that will prepare students for college and/or other institutions of higher education. The solution to ensuring that all students receive a well rounded education, that offers all of the attributes listed above, is a strong partnership between the schools and parents, schools and community, and school and business or corporations; all have a vested interest in the success of their own child and every child, and who are willing to take accountability for each and every student’s success. This partnership alone will not ensure student success. The primary partner in this relationship is the student. Each student has to put their very best efforts forward, be willing to work hard, and to demonstrate through their actions a desire for learning. Parent’s support, guidance, nurturing spirit, and their willingness to hold their student accountable is a key component for student success in school. A parent is a child’s first teacher and role model, and parents/guardians continue to be a driving force in their child’s life throughout the school career and beyond. Parents count!!! We need you!        State TCAP Assessments at FMHS TCAP Testing Dates – March 12, 13, 14, and March 19, 20, 21 Where possible, TCAP has been designed to measure standards that are common between the old standards and new standards. o The TCAP frameworks clearly show the relationship between the assessment objectives and the Colorado Academic Standards. o The new standards, however, are often assessed at a lower level than what will be expected once the new standards are fully implemented. TCAP will continue to assess the same content areas and grades as CSAP: math, reading and writing in grades three through 10. Science will be assessed in fifth, eighth, and 10th grades. TCAP encourages districts to move forward with implementation of the new standards, while providing time for the preparation of students for the higher expectations to come. TCAP has been designed to be used for two years and by the conclusion of that time, all districts are expected to have transitioned fully to teaching the new academic standards. TCAP does not assess the entire Colorado Academic Standards, nor does it assess the new standards at the same level of difficulty which will be expected once the new standards are implemented. TCAP does not assess Colorado’s new personal financial literacy expectations or social studies. It does not test any content standards that have shifted grades and it will not test any new learning skills that are embedded in the new standards, such as invention and information management. When the new standards are fully implemented, a new assessment designed to assess the full depth and breadth of those standards will be needed. Test Taking Skills and Strategies: Before testing:  Make sure work throughout class is being done – this will give the student a better understanding of the material.  Make a study schedule and FOLLOW IT!  Parent/Student communication about tests and homework  Seek help from teacher  Get plenty of sleep  Eat a good breakfast  Take care of any family/friend problems before test date During Testing:  Read each question individually, rather than thinking about the whole test and what needs to be accomplished  Read directions carefully and pay attention to direction  Read ALL answers before marking an answer  Pace – Do not spend too much time on one question – do all questions that are easiest first, and go back and do harder questions after.  Do not change your answer unless you are uncertain with first choice – your first choice is usually right  Process of elimination  Do not try to find a pattern in the correct answers (multiple choice)  If test is finished early, go back and check all questions/answers  Find key words and phrases that will help in finding the correct answer  When answering questions where you must read a passage and then answer questions, READ ANSWERS FIRST – this will allow you to know what you are looking for.  Think positively – Have a good attitude! After Testing:  Look at test score, and ask teacher if this needs clarification  Identify areas of strength and weakness in the test  Ask teacher for suggestions to help with next test Test Anxiety:  Share these feelings with teachers and parents  Review homework and materials that are relevant to test  Relax and breathe deeply while taking test How teachers can help with anxiety:  Discuss purpose of test  Have realistic expectations while encouraging students  Allow students to express any anxiety, verbally or through writing  Be careful to not overemphasize importance of test Study Strategies:  Determine, as a student, how you are as a thinker and learner – Where and when are you most productive? What are some distractions for you?  Set personal goals for each class – rather than focusing on a grade, focus on what you want to accomplish in the class and what you want to learn.  Manage time – set goals for this, and reward yourself when these goals are met – When you’ve scheduled yourself for studying, make sure that’s what you are focused on – shut off all other distractions.  Think like a teacher  Review notes as soon as possible after class - this will help retain the information  Take advantage of all resources available Did you know? Fort Morgan High School demographics: Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL): Grade 9 153 students out of 234 - that is approximately 60% of our students - are students of poverty in 9th grade. Grade 10 155 students out of 236 - that is approximately 66% of our students are student of poverty in 10th grade. Grade 11 119 students out of 213 - that is approximately 56% of our students are student of poverty in 11th grade. Grade 12 110 students out of 239 - that is approximately 46% of our students are student of poverty in 12th grade. This is not an accurate number of poverty students at the 12th grade level, it is just that several students who would qualify, do not fill out the paperwork. Languages Spoken within FMHS/MCSD Re-3: 14 [Spanish and Somali being the most prevalent] English Language Learners (ELL): ELL - Total 1,031 Fort Morgan High School is rich with diversity, and each student is unique with different learning interests and backgrounds that require a plethora of educational opportunities. If you are interested in more demographic information please contact Mrs. Judy Florian at jflorian@morgan.k12.co.us. Do you want to know how FMHS is performing academically? Please click on the School View link, http://www.schoolview.org/performance.asp to learn more about FMHS School Performance from 2011-2012. FMHS School Performance for 2012-2013 will not be available until August 2013. 2013-2014 Course Schedules: Parents can access their student’s schedule through Infinite Campus Parent Portal. If you are having difficulty accessing your student’s information please contact our Counseling Center at 370.6682, and the secretary will direct you to your student’s counselor. PLCs are work sessions for teachers. This is a time for teachers to get together and review student work, analyze student progress and/or student challenges, and/or work on the alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessments. The purpose and focus of our PLC is student achievement. This is a time to define and analyze potential problem areas and implement instructional strategies to help support all students, based on valid data. We evaluate the effectiveness our instruction by analyzing the data and making instructional adjustments in a timely manner that is pertinent for student success. of FMHS PLC LATE START SCHEDULE 4/16/13, 4/30/13, 5/14/13 Reminder: Your student does not need to come to school until 9:00 A.M. on Late Start Days. If your student comes to school prior to first hour they will be directed into a computer lab, the Media Center, or a homework center. Students will not be left unattended. If you have any questions please call our main office at 370.6689. 1st Period 9:00 – 9:44 2nd Period 9:49 – 10:33 3rd Period 10:38 – 11:22 11:27 – 11:58 Lunch 1st Floor 12:03 – 12:47 4th Period 11:27 – 12:11 4th Period 2nd Floor Lunch 12:16 – 12:47 th 5 Period 12:52 – 1:36 6th Period 1:41 – 2:25 2:30 – 3:15 If you have any questions, ideas, would like to visit or have a concern, please contact me at jflorian@morgan.k12.co.us or 970.370.6686. Judy Florian – Principal of FMHS FORT MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL and MORGAN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT Re-3 MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Morgan County School District Re-3 and Fort Morgan High School is to inspire creative thinking, high achievement, and life-long learning. FORT MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL AND DISTRICT VISION STATEMENT st     We envision 21 Century schools that: Educate and graduate a student population which is confident, skilled, and well-spoken; Empower students to be caring, responsible citizens and lifelong learners; Provide safe and positive learning environments; Cultivate staff committed to quality and excellence. Statement of Nondiscrimination: An Equal Opportunity Employer Morgan County School District Re-3 is an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER, subject to all federal and state laws and constitutional provisions. Morgan County School District Re-3 does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, ancestry, age, or need for special education services. Contact Person –Superintendent, 715 W. Platte Avenue, Fort Morgan, CO 80701 – 970-370-6110.